Prior art workers have devised many types of powered screwdrivers. These powered screwdrivers generally fall into three basic categories. The first is an accessory for a standard drill. The drill or the accessory may or may not include a clutch. A screw is manually held during the initial part of the screw driving operation. A second category of powered screwdrivers constitutes a dedicated power screwdriver tool containing a prime mover, a gear assembly to determine speed and torque, a clutch and a chuck to support a driver. Again, the screw is manually placed for driving. A third category comprises a self-feeding powered screwdriver. Commonly, such a screwdriver uses an elongated strip carrying a plurality of screws.
The present invention relates to a screw feed and driver assembly which, as will be apparent hereinafter, can be associated with a powered screwdriver of any of the three categories listed above. Heretofore, self-feeding screw driving tools have been prone to jamming, mis-feeds, and malfunctions. Generally, they are bulky and awkward to use. Frequently, they are difficult to adjust for different screw lengths.
The present invention is directed to a structure which eliminates these problems, provides easy adjustment for different screw lengths; and additionally provides for easy depth of drive adjustment.